Representative Steve Driehaus on Health Care
Steve Driehaus spoke to hundreds of supporters and critics of health-care reform last night at the First Unitarian Church.
Tea Party folks were given instructions before the meeting on how to disrupt the event. Apparently, opponents feel they cannot win without resorting to disruptive tactics.
Here’s some samples:
- Artificially Inflate Your Numbers: “Spread out in the hall and try to be in the front half. The objective is to put the Rep on the defensive with your questions and follow-up. The Rep should be made to feel that a majority, and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, opposes the socialist agenda of Washington.”
- Be Disruptive Early And Often: “You need to rock-the-boat early in the Rep’s presentation, Watch for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early.”
- Try To “Rattle Him,” Not Have An Intelligent Debate: “The goal is to rattle him, get him off his prepared script and agenda. If he says something outrageous, stand up and shout out and sit right back down. Look for these opportunities before he even takes questions.”
This is straight out of the Ann Coulter playbook which states if you can make a liberal angry, you will distract him/her from their argument.
It’s great to see people so interested in politics, but I find it sad to think that they’re not looking to be part of any solution or discussion, but rather are only interested in games and disrupting discussion.
Watch the video:
Driehaus did a good job in quieting the crowd and, earlier in the session, explaining the reasons for reform:
- 40 million people without insurance cost us (through higher premiums on emergency health care)
- People denied care because of pre-existing conditions
- Families going bankrupt because they can’t pay their health care bills
- Cost to small businesses – 50% of Ohio small businesses currently provide health care
